H—32A

1947 SHORT COURSE A short coarse for librarians of small libraries, held on 13th to 31st January, 1947, was attended by 21 librarians and 1 assistant librarian from the public libraries of Ashburton, Dannevirke, Eketahuna, Fairlie, Huntly, Tnglewood, Invercargill, Kaikohe, Lower Hutt, Morrinsville, Motueka, Onehunga, Otaki, Pahiat.ua, Papatoetoe, Putaruru, Richmond, Tauranga, Te Aroha, Waipukurau, Whangarei, and Woodville. In this short course, emphasis was placed upon community service through books, and question periods were provided for discussion of actual problems arising in the libraries. 1947 PROFESSIONAL COURSE The second professional course opened on. 10th February, 1947, with an enrolment of 25 students who were approved by the Minister of Education and who will study at the school until December. Although the 1947 curriculum follows the basic plan outlined in the annual report of the National Library Service for the year ended 31st March, 1946,* and in New Zealand Libraries for November, 1946 f, each course is revised annually to keep abreast of new books and of the latest professional experience and research in the field of library service. It is pleasant to record the fact that Miss M. Fleming, who was sent by the Government to prepare herself at Columbia University School of Library Service, New York, for teaching in the Library School, has returned as a Senior Lecturer, and that Miss J. Norrie, who was sent by the Red Cross Society of New Zealand to study hospital librarianship at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, will be in charge of a seminar on hospital libraries which will form part of the 1947 professional course. The librarians and other community leaders and the subject specialists who came to, the School as visiting lecturers in 1946 are again giving their co-operation and libraries are again lending generously the books that are needed. The administration of the School, which was described in the 1946 report, remains unchanged. SECTION lII.—NATIONAL LIBRARY CENTRE Report by the Librarian: Mr. A. G-. Bagnall BOOK COVERAGE AND SPECIALIZATION During the year the 1943 Cumulative Book Index was checked against the Union Catalogue. Alternative plans for ensuring that a copy of every worth-while book in English is in the country were drawn up and approved by the Book Resources Committee and Council of the New Zealand Library Association. It was thought that the approach to this problem should be from the date of current issue following the appearance of authoritative reviews and notices. Libraries who now specialize in certain subjects will, as far as possible, share with the National Library Service the work of coverage. The proposals are that the National Library Service should in its normal work of book selection record separately from its orders informational works of specialized interest which it decides would normally be too limited for its own purchase. Such titles would be classified, listed, and issued regularly to the libraries whieh have indicated they are willing to specialize in the various subjects.

* Animal Report of the National Library Serviee for year ended 31st March, 1946, pp. 9-10. t New Zealand libraries 9: 179-184 N'46.

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